Uruguayan media outlets are heavily criticizing Nacional following a dramatic 1-1 draw against Coquimbo Unido at the Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso stadium during the opening round of the Copa Libertadores group stage.
With only five minutes of stoppage time remaining, Coquimbo was trailing by a single goal. A desperate shot from Lucas Pratto forced a save from Nacional goalkeeper Ignacio Suárez, but the rebound fell directly to defender Manuel Fernández, who struck the decisive equalizer.
The late error by Suárez has drawn sharp condemnation from major Uruguayan news sources.
El Observador was particularly harsh on the performance of Jorge Bava's squad, stating that the team "had everything to take the victory" but lost points due to a critical mistake.
“The match escaped the Tricolor in the final minute due to an error by Ignacio Suárez for the Copa Libertadores,” the outlet reported. They noted that the team's failure to secure the three points was directly linked to the goalkeeper's poor handling of the ball.
Criticism intensifies
While slightly less aggressive, the Uruguayan daily El País also pointed to the goalkeeper as the central figure in the result. The publication noted that Nacional's performance fluctuated throughout the match.
“The goalkeeper was the protagonist because, just as he prevented several goals, he also failed in one of the final plays after the ball slipped from his hands,” El País reported.
The draw leaves Group B in a complete deadlock. Alongside Coquimbo and Nacional, the group includes Colombia's Deportes Tolima and Peru's Universitario, all of whom currently sit on one point after a scoreless draw between the Peruvian and Colombian sides.
Coquimbo Unido, the reigning Chilean champions, will face Universitario on April 14. Nacional is scheduled to host Tolima in Montevideo on the same night.
